


Rebellion...Again

by ThatMasterOnline



Category: Far Cry 4
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-01-15 07:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12316398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatMasterOnline/pseuds/ThatMasterOnline
Summary: Ajay decides he’s not happy with the way things turned out, and tries to fix them. Set at the end of the story if you side with Amita but spare Sabal. He can be found meditating in a Northwestern corner of Kyrat.





	1. Buyer’s Remorse

“...Go.”

“Gone, brother...gone.” 

He fucked up. He fucked up BAD. He went looking for Amita to celebrate their victory, and...it was hell. Sabal was right; Amita was just another Pagan, only worse. Conscripting children into the war, the drugs, which were no doubt going to be used to keep the troops in line, and Bhadra...Bhadra…

“Don’t bother looking for her. She’s not coming back.”

Ajay shot Amita. He shot her, right there in front of all her supporters, he killed them when they turned on him. He burned the fields, he blew up the brick factory. Jalendu...There was no repairing Jalendu, but he could find the treasures, give them back to the people. After he’d fixed as much as he could...he left. He wandered Kyrat, keeping off the roads. He would be shot on sight, by royal army and Golden Path alike. He slept in trees, in radio towers...anywhere he could find. He rarely drove anywhere anymore; Rabi cursed his name every chance he got. He cursed his own name, but hearing it from Rabi made it worse.

After a month of wandering, not being able to leave, he happened across a small tent. It was midday, he’d been looking for a clearing to eat lunch in when he saw it. Saw him.

Sabal.

He was praying, deep in meditation. Ajay nearly ran to him and begged him to come back, but then he remembered that Sabal hated him. He fucked up. Bad. Sabal was as close as he could get to a friendly face here, though. Should he stay hidden, or reveal himself? He debated for what seemed like hours. He couldn’t show himself outright, not without a peace offering of some sort. Peace offering, right. What did he have? Some nearby flowers? That wouldn’t be nearly enough. He had to find something that would open Sabal up to him. But what? Then he realized, he needed to show Sabal that they were on the same side. He needed to connect with Sabal on his terms. The way to do that...was prayer. He put down his guns, his ammo, everything. He took off his jacket, his gloves, until he was in nothing but his faded blue t shirt and jeans. He walked forward, keeping his eyes downcast, and knelt next to Sabal, his hands folded in prayer, trying to imitate him. There was a stony silence until Sabal sighed and clicked his tongue and Ajay heard the sound of incense being lit.

“The incense helps to cleanse your mind of any distractions and achieve a calm, meditative state. Without it, prayer is futile.” 

“...Right.” Sabal placed the stick of incense in the ground, and Ajay inhaled the fumes deeply, glad that these fumes didn’t cause hallucinations like the ones Amita used. He let his mind wander. How long would it take before Sabal spoke to him? Should he speak first? How could he even begin? How could he ask Sabal for forgiveness? He’d burned down everything Sabal held dear, and Bhadra was dead because of his stupidity. How could he have been so blind? He searched through his every talk with Amita, every mention of her name, for some clue to her true intentions that he’d missed. There was nothing, and yet there had to have been some way for him to have seen this coming, some way to have prevented it. Some way to have saved Bhadra. Sabal didn’t know; he would have to tell him. He dreaded that. 

From Bhadra, his thoughts drifted to Lakshmana, his departed, murdered sister. Kyrat was merciless to children, it seemed. Now he understood why his mother had left; to save him from the future that would have awaited him if they’d stayed: death. His mother had been trying to save him, only sending him back when he was an adult and sure he was strong enough to survive. Well, he’d survived, but at what cost? Another child had been sacrificed in his place. Kalinag’s words drifted into his mind:

“I was a fool to think that Paradise was a place untouched by suffering.”

But this was not Paradise, far from it. This was a hell of his own creation. How did hell become Paradise? Was there even really a distinction? What was the difference between them? There was suffering either way, did it really matter? Perhaps it was simply a matter of perception. There were some who had seen Amita’s world as Paradise. He saw it as hell. Who was he to take away the Paradise of one person to shape his own?His Paradise was somebody else’s hell, but that was just it; not everybody could be happy. It was a constant struggle, searching for one’s own personal Paradise. He’d been blind. He’d been thinking about Amita’s Paradise and lost sight of his own, failed to realize that her Paradise was his hell. And because of his blindness...Bhadra. Bhadra. Bhadra…Bhadra...Brother...Brother…

“Brother...Brother, come back. Brother, come back to the present. Exhale the incense, let go of your thoughts.” The incense. Ajay could smell it all around him, lulling him into a deep, dreamlike state. He gasped, eyes snapping open and locking onto deep, concerned green. It was dark, when had it gotten dark? He tried to get up but cried out when pins and needles assaulted his whole body, forcing him down again.

“Easy, brother. You have been in meditation for eight hours now, your body needs to reorient itself.”

“Oh, ahh...N...now you tell me...Fuck, it hurts…”

“Just relax, let me help.” He took one of Ajay’s hands, gently massaging it to work the feeling back into it. Ajay hissed and cursed the whole time, but eventually the pins and needles died down to a dull tingling, and then to nothing when he stretched.

“Better?”

“Y-yeah, thanks.”

“Good. ...I am sorry, Ajay. Rarely do beginners reach such a deep meditative state; if I’d known you would be so lucky, I would have coached you a little more.”

“Don’t...don’t worry about it.” The conversation lulled for a few beats.

“So, was it a productive meditation, or just a reflective one?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Did you come away with new knowledge, come to a decision, discover a possibility you hadn’t previously considered...or did you end up simply reflecting on your problems and feeling better for taking the time to think about them?”

“Uh...productive, I think...I mean, I already knew I was an idiot, but now I kind of know...where I went wrong, I think. I was so focused on trying to help that I forgot to help me, and that meant...when I was done helping, I wasn’t…wasn’t happy with the outcome. I have an answer to the question ‘what the fuck was I thinking’ so I guess that counts as productive.” Sabal nodded, then said what they both knew, and were simply trying to put off saying.

“This is about Amita, isn’t it?” Ajay’s shoulders slumped.

“Yeah. I...I...I fucked up.” Sabal raised his eyebrows.

“I’d say so. Is Kyrat not making money off the opium like you thought?” Ajay laughed bitterly.

“Opium? Oh yeah, that was a little questionable, wasn’t it?” Sabal frowned a little.”

“I am not in the mood for humour, Ajay.”

“Fine, then how about this: Amita’s dead. I killed her.”

“...You already chose her to lead Kyrat. It’s a little late to change your mind, don’t you think?”

“You don’t think I KNOW THAT?!” Ajay snapped, suddenly angry, “You don’t know the fucking half of it, Sabal, so don’t sit there and try to lecture me on my mistakes when you don’t even know how badly I fucked up in the first place.” 

“What do you want from me, then? Forgiveness? It’s not likely, and I’m not sure I’m willing to try.”

“No, I...I just needed to see a friendly face.” Sabal’s eyebrows rose.

“You consider me a friendly face? It must be worse than I thought.”

“You haven’t tried to kill me yet, that practically makes us lovers.” Sabal sighed heavily.

“...It is getting late. We can discuss this further tomorrow, and you can tell me just how badly you ruined things, since I’m so ignorant. As things stand now...well, I intend to coach you on proper meditation practices, because if meditation is all you have to fall back on, I won’t have your hurting yourself like you did today.” Another sigh. “Come. I have a spare sleeping bag, you can stay with me. It will be a little cramped, but…”

“Honestly, don’t worry about it. Just the word sleeping bag makes this a five star hotel.” Sabal felt his lips curve a little.

“Haven’t lost your sense of humour, have you?”

“No, I’m still alive and kicking, I’m just...on my knees right now.” Sabal nodded.

“Understandable. I’m not going to pretend I haven’t been in a position similar to yours before, and I know it’s difficult. We can talk more tomorrow. And thank Kyra we’re in the middle of nowhere, because I suspect we’re going to end up shouting at eachother.” Sabal crawled into his sleeping bag, and Ajay did the same with a small chuckle.

“I’ll end up in tears more likely. Goodnight, Sabal.”

“Rest well, Ajay.”


	2. Meditation 101

When Ajay woke the next morning, Sabal had already gotten out of bed. He stretched, then got up and crawled out of the tent, where Sabal turned to him with a smile.

“Good morning, finally. It’s almost noon.”

“Hey, the sleeping bag was comfortable. Besides, it’s not like I’ve got plans for today.” 

“Perhaps not, but self-discipline is an important skill, something I’ll have to grind into you when I teach you about meditation.”

“So now you’ve got me in a meditation bootcamp? When did you decide that?”

“Around eleven, when you still hadn’t woken up and were showing no signs of stirring.”

“Ass,” Ajay muttered, but Sabal only grinned.

“Now, I’ve got breakfast over the fire, so we’ll eat first, and then I’ll help you in a guided meditation. After that, depending on the time and how long you let the incense sweep your consciousness away…”

“Ass,” Ajay cut in.

“...We may have a light lunch. After that, we can talk.”

“Do you ALWAYS structure your days this rigidly?”

“As I said,” Sabal replied with emphasis, “self-discipline is an important skill. Besides, I’ve been alone here for two months, I had to do something to keep myself from boredom.”

“Er...yeah. Sorry.”

“We’ll talk AFTER lunch, Ajay, not before. We haven’t even had breakfast yet. Now here, eat.” Sabal handed him a skewer with roasted deer meat on it. He knew it was deer only because Sabal had the pelt hanging over the fire for use later.

“Thanks.” They ate their breakfast in relative silence, save for a few stories of more liberated belltowers and some of Ajay’s narrow escapes.

“Hey, according to that movie lady, action is what makes good movies nowadays here in Kyrat,” Ajay said when Sabal asked why he had chosen this somewhat inappropriate breakfast conversation.

After breakfast, Sabal laid out the mats and lit the incense, and sat cross-legged instead of on his knees this time.

“This should hopefully be a more comfortable position for you as a beginner,” Sabal said, and then began.

“Now, the purpose of meditation is not to let your mind wander, but rather it is focused, deliberate thought, with your mind open to the possibility of becoming diverted. This isn’t to say you are free to think of whatever, but if you find that something else is capturing your thoughts and distracting you from what you were supposed to be meditating about, let it.”

“Does that mean that you always have something to meditate on? Like a subject?”

“Not always, but for beginners it can make meditation easier to not have to focus on what you’ll be meditating about. Especially today, I want to suggest a subject that you’ll be meditating on.”

“And that is?”

“Why you haven’t told me what went wrong with Amita yet.” Ajay blinked, looking like he’d been slapped.

“Well...Neither of us wanted to talk about it…”

“On the contrary, I am very curious to know what it is that sent you running for the hills mere minutes after winning the war with Pagan. You, however, are reluctant to discuss it. Why? Are you afraid of what my reaction will be, or have you not quite forgiven yourself yet, and therefore do not know how to ask forgiveness of me? Or is it simply that the memory is still too fresh, and you are afraid of letting your emotions get the better of you? You mentioned last night you might cry. Think about these things while you meditate, but be sure to keep one eye open.”

“Uh...Huh?”

“That is, don’t let yourself get too carried away like you did yesterday. Put your palms on the mat, it will help keep you grounded. I will check in with you to help point you in the right direction, if need be.” Now, close your eyes.” Ajay did so, finding it all too easy to fall into meditation with what Sabal had said still ringing in his ears. Sabal was right. He couldn’t forgive himself for his stupidity, how could he expect Sabal to forgive him? How could he tell Sabal that Bhadra was dead, and it was all his fault? Sabal had tried to tell him, so many times, and he just hadn’t listened.

How could he make it right? Who would be the next Tarun Matara with Bhadra dead? Was it that easy? Would any little girl do? Probably not. They’d have to go without. What then? How would anybody accept Sabal’s leadership if he’d chosen Amita first? Would Sabal even want to be the leader anymore? He would be well within his rights to tell Ajay to go fuck himself. And then what? Kyrat would have no leader. Had he actually fucked things up worse by killing Amita in his anger and betrayal?

“Inhale deeply, and exhale.” Sabal’s voice broke through the cloud of incense, and Ajay did as told.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Amita.”

“Is this where your thoughts need to be?”

“...Yes.”

“Then carry on. Don’t forget, keep yourself grounded through your palms. You’re doing well, Ajay.” The momentary interruption scattered his thoughts, but thinking about Bhadra brought him back. He’d chosen Amita, been blinded by her vision of a perfect world. How had Sabal seen through it? Had she not bothered to hide her true self from him? It should have been obvious from the start; Sabal wanted to save lives, Amita valued intel over her own people. Why hadn’t he listened?

“Ajay.”

“Huh?”

“Take a deep breath, then open your eyes.” He did, his eyes fluttering open to see Sabal there, sitting next to him.

“Stretch your legs slowly, to ease them into movement. Once you have stretched, you may get up.” Ajay slowly moved his legs, finding them stiff, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. He slowly got up, stretched himself, then came back to sit next to Sabal.

“You did well today, Ajay. You responded when I spoke to you. There is nothing wrong with spending eight hours in meditation, but your body needs to be prepared for it, and keeping yourself grounded is an important skill, especially in Kyrat where gunfire could start at any moment. Now...are you ready to talk?”

“...No, but I’m going to have to at some point.” Sabal nodded.

“You sided with Amita, you won the war, Pagan was defeated. What happened next?”

“I went back to Mohan’s house.”

“And then?”

“Amita radioed. Asked if I’d put my mom to rest - I did, by the way. I...I’ll save that story for later.”

“Of course. I am glad your mother is at peace. You told Amita your mother was at rest, and then what?”

“She told me I had earned a break. I only rested for a day though, I wanted to find her and celebrate. I went looking for her, and…”

“...And…?”

“I fucked up, Sabal, I fucked up so bad…”

“Ajay. You have found Amita, what is she doing?”

“I didn’t quite catch what she was saying. She was ordering a soldier to go and find every child and bring them to her. People were crying on the ground. I...asked what she was doing. She told me she needed more soldiers for the war.” Sabal’s eyes darkened.

“She was conscripting children?” He nearly growled, and Ajay flinched. It was all his fault.

“I...I asked…” He faltered, but Sabal fixed him with that intense stare, and he knew he couldn’t chicken out now.

“I...I asked her what...what Bhadra...thought of it...and...and she said...she...sent Bhadra away. She said the people didn't need a tarun matara to rally behind...I asked where she sent Bhadra and she said…’don’t bother looking for her, she’s not coming back,’ and…” Sabal stood abruptly, marching off into the woods. Ajay let him go. Did he want to be here when Sabal got back? 

Probably not.


	3. Redemption and Forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter is long and Sabal is kind of a dick with mood whiplash.

Probably not was right, but Ajay couldn’t run away from his problems forever. For that reason, and against his better judgement, he was still there a few minutes later when Sabal marched back into the clearing. He seemed calm enough, but the second he spotted him his eyes darkened dangerously and he stormed towards him, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the nearest tree. It hurt, but he knew full well he deserved to have the shit beaten out of him. Briefly, he wondered if that wasn’t why he revealed himself to Sabal in the first place.

“The Tarun Matara is DEAD because of you!” Ajay nodded slowly, not making eye contact.

“I’m sorry-“ Sabal slapped him.

“You think I give a shit about your apologies? Who will the people rally behind? How will they know order and stability? You burned down Jalendu, you killed Bhadra, and you killed off what semblance of a leader Kyrat DID have! Everything you touch turns to SHIT! You BASTARD!” Sabal punched him and he fell to the ground, lying motionless. He knew Sabal was nowhere near finished.

“You think you can come to Kyrat and shit on EVERYTHING your father built, and then make it all better by killing the person YOU put in power? No! NO! Rebuild Jalendu, bring back the Tarun Matara! Then I will consider Kyrat fixed, but you CAN’T! Kyrat is DEAD because of you, and there’s no bringing her back!” This was punctuated by two kicks to the side, so forceful Ajay was gasping for breath.

“Sabal…”

“SHUT UP!” Sabal picked him up and punched him again. “Do you understand what this means? EVERY Golden Path soldier - EVERY. SINGLE. ONE! - will have to be killed in order for me to take power!” ...He still wanted to? That thought was interrupted by another kick to the side. Ajay heard a crack and cried out in pain.

“Where will I get supporters? Don’t think for a second Amita didn’t kill them all off the second she got the chance. Do you understand? My men are dead, the Golden Path is dead, Bhadra is dead, everyone is dead because of YOU!” Sabal punched him and he barely felt it, not with his whole body on fire from the other hits. 

“You and your naivety! Did you really think Amita wanted what was best for her people? After all the times she sacrificed lives to get what she wanted? This is just the same old bullshit, sacrificing people to get what she wants! She needs more soldiers, she tears children away from their families. How could you not SEE IT?! HOW could you have been so BLIND?! You IDIOT!!!” Sabal shoved him to the ground, storming off again. He coughed weakly, trying to stay as still as possible. Everything hurt, it hurt to breathe, and he could feel blood dripping from his nose. He tasted blood when he licked his lips. He could distinctly remember being shot and having fewer injuries than this. With Sabal gone and any immediate threat of injury in the past, Ajay felt adrenaline he hadn’t realized had kicked in seeping away from him, leaving him weak and sick feeling. He heard ringing in his ears, and a few seconds later his eyes closed as he fell unconscious.

***

He was on his back, when he woke. Warm. Still in pain, but warm. He heard a crackling fire next to him. When he took a breath, he felt something push back against the motion. His ribs had been bandaged. He didn’t feel blood on his face anymore. He opened his eyes.

It was dark, the sun just setting below the horizon. To his left, a fire crackled merrily with a deer on a skewer. Sabal was on his knees nearby, meditating. Should he speak? Judging from the bandages and the deer, it seemed Sabal had calmed down a little. Perhaps it would be best. Besides, he needed water, and he couldn’t get it as he was now.”

“S…” His voice barely came out. He swallowed and tried again.

“Sabal…” Sabal blinked, coming out of his meditation and looking over at him, and Ajay was relieved to see that his eyes were calm.

“Ajay,” he said with a sigh, “Do you need water?”

“Please…” he said, swallowing again. Sabal nodded, bringing a cup of water over and putting a hand behind his back to help him sit up.

“Here. Drink.” Ajay did, closing his eyes as the water did wonders for his throat and lips. He nodded in thanks when he was finished, and Sabal gently laid him back down.

“Are you warm enough?”

“Yeah...This is great, thank you…” Sabal nodded, but then he moved a hand to brush some hair out of Ajay’s eyes, looking remorseful.

“Ajay...I am sorry. I lost control of my emotions. My grief for Bhadra’s death overpowered me, and I wrongly took my grief out on you. We Kyrati are a peaceful people, you would have learned at the monastery that we are taught from a young age to not let our emotions rule us. In letting my emotions lead me to violence I have failed Kyra and shamed her name. I have spent the whole evening in meditation to repent, but I knew it would be worthless until I had apologized to the one who bore the brunt of my grief. I am sorry, Ajay. Please forgive me.”

“Hey...I deserved it. Everything you said was true, there’s no need to apologize.”

“You may have deserved it, but that doesn’t make it right. I should never have lost control of myself like that. If I am to lead Kyrat, the people will need stability, and that has to start with me. Bhadra’s death will be the first of many hardships in my role as King of Kyrat, and I cannot allow myself to lose control every time things do not go my way. Please say you forgive me.”

“I forgive you. Besides…” He trailed off, not sure if he wanted to say what he felt.

“Besides…?”

“I...well, I...feel a little better now…” He saw the darkness return to Sabal’s eyes and faltered.

“You feel better? You think the only way to repent for what you have done is to lie down and let me beat you as I please? Is that why you didn’t fight back? Because you felt that the only way I could possibly forgive you was if you had the marks on your body to prove how sorry you were? No, Ajay, no! You may have deserved a good kick in the ribs, but Kyra is not a goddess of justice! Physical retribution is not how we do things here!”

“Well, it’s not like anybody wants to hear how sorry I am, so how else am I supposed to apologize for what I’ve done?” Sabal stared at him in wide-eyed shock for a few seconds, and then buried his face in his hands.

“Oh, Kyra…” He groaned, and then took one of Ajay’s hands and pressed it to his cheek.

“I am so sorry, Ajay. I know you are sorry, I know you are trying to repent. Killing Amita...I know that was your way of trying to right the wrongs you have committed. Ajay...words and feelings are not enough to repent, but this...this is too much. You don’t deserve to feel you have to suffer to repent. When you are well, we will go back and try to set Kyrat back on the right course.

“I did that too,” Ajay said, eyes averted, “After I shot Amita, I went and burned all the opium fields, I blew up the brick factory, and I found all the gold she’d been planning to melt down and brought it back to Jalendu.” Sabal nodded with a sigh.

“Then you have taken a big step towards making Kyrat whole again.” Ajay sighed.

“Doesn’t feel that way. I’m shot at on sight by anyone I meet, Rabi Ray curses my name with every word that comes out of his mouth, and nobody gives a shit about my apologies. There’s no possible way for me to make things right here, so just...just let me at least give the people the satisfaction of watching me suffer.” Sabal shook his head.

“No. Amita’s supporters make up the Golden Path, but that will change. Soon the people will see the difference you have brought, and how it is a good thing.” Ajay shuddered.

“A month ago, a ‘good thing’ was children being dragged out of their homes and forced off to war while their parents were kept quiet with threats of a bullet to the head. I’m not sure I know what’s good anymore. I sure as hell can’t decide. Maybe I should have just stayed with Pagan. You know he told me if I’d stayed during dinner he would have brought me straight to Lakshmana? All of this could have been avoided if I’d just stifled my curiosity.”

“No, Ajay. Pagan is gone, and no matter what happens the people are better off because of it.”

“I guess…”

“That’s your guilt talking. You’ll have to come to terms with it sooner or later.”

“And what? You’re just magically not pissed at me anymore?” Sabal sighed.

“I don’t deserve to be pissed at you anymore. Retaliation was not the answer. And after how badly I hurt you because I was angry...well, it wouldn’t be fair of me. The truth is...I feel too guilty about hurting you to be angry with you anymore. You didn’t deserve what I did to you, and you don’t deserve to continue worrying about me after what I put you through.”

“I...don’t understand.”

“I was angry at you, and I realized what I did in retaliation was too much, and I’m sorry.” Ajay sighed, shaking his head.

“Your mood just keeps changing, I’m getting whiplash…” Sabal sighed.

“I am sorry. I knew choosing Amita would be bad for Kyrat, but from what you have told me...it was worse than I ever imagined.” Ajay grimaced.

“I’m sorry. I just...I just wanted everyone to...be equal...I wanted women to have their place in history like they deserved...I...I just...the Amita I saw that day...I realized I’d been played. She’d been playing me from the beginning, and...I feel like such an idiot...And I know that doesn’t make things right, but...I don’t know. I fucked up, I know I fucked up, and...I’m sorry. Whatever that’s worth, I am so, so sorry. And, Sabal? I...I’m sorry about...it was the hardest thing I ever had to do...I thought I was with Amita to the end, but...I couldn’t...I couldn’t kill you. But what I did...pointing a gun at you like that, forcing you from your home...God, I’m no better than Amita, am I? I just...I just want to go back to Mohan’s house and stay there so I can’t possibly pollute Kyrat any further, because you’re right, everything I touch turns to shit. I...I don’t even know why I’m here, I ought to just…”

“You’re here because I beat the living shit out of you and you can’t move yet, so don’t bother trying,” Sabal cut in firmly, “You’re here because you wanted me to come back and take up my role as leader of Kyrat, you wanted to fix your wrongs. I’m going to help you do that, and I’m going to help you forgive yourself. Kyrat will shine again, it’s just going to take a little longer than either of us planned. I know it feels like you’re being crushed by the weight of your guilt, but listen to me, brother. This is not the end of the world. All things must pass, even this. Put the matter from your mind. Don’t let yourself get stuck in the past, look towards the future, and all the change you plan to bring to Kyrat. ...That’s something Amita taught me.” Ajay nodded, keeping his eyes averted.

“...It feels nice to hear you call me brother again,” he said mildly.

“I’ve been doing it since the day we reunited.”

“Yeah, but it...feels different this time. Feels genuine. Now that I know you’re not pissed at me, or...maybe because I’m less pissed at myself.” Sabal nodded.

“You’re starting to forgive yourself now. That’s good. Now, we’ve talked long enough, you need to eat. I cooked this for you...though it’s gotten cold, most likely.” Ajay took it anyways, taking a bite. It was cold, but he was starving.

“How long was I out?” Sabal sighed.

“A few hours. Long enough that I was worried. I had assumed you would be sitting up against a tree when I got back, not motionless where I left you.” Ajay grimaced.

“Sorry.”

“How is that your fault?” Ajay cleared his throat.

“I dunno. I’ve caused you enough suffering, you shouldn’t have to worry about me.”

“That’s my line,” Sabal said, and Ajay smiled, blinking a little sleepily.

“Rest now, Ajay. When you’re healed, we’ll set about fixing Kyrat.” Ajay nodded, slowly curling back up under the blankets and closing his eyes.

“Goodnight, Sabal.”

“Rest well, Ajay.”


	4. An Old Friend

When Ajay had healed, they both set about re-liberating all the outposts they had previously liberated for the Golden Path. Sabal had been right, unfortunately; many of the Golden Path members were Amita’s supporters. There were still a few stragglers, though. They were sneaking into another outpost to liberate it when Ajay tapped Sabal to stop him. He’d heard a hiss. They waited, and heard it again.

“Sabal!” They looked over, and a Golden Path soldier was beckoning them. Ajay didn’t recognize him but Sabal did, as his eyes widened and he gasped, creeping over to where he was.

“It’s good to see you, Ajeet,” Sabal said, clasping his shoulder warmly.

“And you too! Amita said you were dead. I knew she was lying.” His eyes flickered over to Ajay with barely-concealed animosity. “What is he doing here?”

“He is helping me take back Kyrat.”

“After taking it from you in the first place. Will he help rebuild Jalendu? And where is Bhadra? Will she be crowned Tarun Matara?” Sabal sighed.

“Bhadra is dead. Amita had her killed.” There was five seconds of complete silence, and then Ajeet lunged at Ajay. Ajay stumbled back, but Sabal was there, forcing Ajeet to stop.

“No! Now is not the time!” Sabal shoved, and Ajeet panted heavily, staring daggers at Ajay.

“How can you stand to side with him again?” Ajeet hissed, and Sabal sighed.

“Hours and hours of meditation. If we are to heal Kyrat, we need to practice forgiveness. After all the times Amita put Bhadra’s well-being over anything else, how could Ajay - how could any of us - have suspected that Amita would kill Bhadra?” Ajeet was still glaring, but it was clear Sabal’s logic had gotten through to him.

“Ajeet, what is happening now that Amita’s dead?”

“Her higher lieutenants - that is, her interrogators - are running the Golden Path the same way Amita did, with fear. Anyone who steps out of line is killed, anyone who is suspected to conspiring against the Golden Path is interrogated for any intel, and then killed. Those who seem uncertain are drugged. The forced addiction keeps them in line more than even the most loyal servants.” Ajay gulped, a motion that didn’t go unnoticed, and Ajeet spit in his direction.

“Ajeet, enough,” Sabal reprimanded, “We need to get to these lieutenants and kill them. Where are they?” 

“They are using Pagan’s fortress as a stronghold.”

“WHAT?” This time it was Ajay who looked furious, and Sabal put an arm out to stop any escalating tensions, eyeing Ajay with surprise. Why did Ajay care if Pagan’s fortress was used?

“Both of you, calm down. Things are shit right now, but we need to work on changing it. How heavily guarded is Pagan’s fortress?”

“It’s as strong as Pagan’s fortress was when he was still alive. We need to start small. Outposts, bell towers...we need to take back Kyrat piece by piece, just like last time.” Ajay nodded.

“That’s what I do best, I guess. I can take back the bell towers easily, if you guys can take the outposts. Divide and conquer, as it were.” Sabal nodded.

“Good idea. Head out to the bell tower to the east first, we’ll finish things here. Ajeet, you’re still technically on Amita’s side, can you disable the alarms inconspicuously?”

“Sure.” He nodded, walking back to the outpost and resuming his work like it was nothing. Sabal sighed and turned to Ajay.

“Well, that went…”

“Fine, as long as he and I are never alone in the same room together.” Sabal smiled slightly.

“You need to get started on that bell tower, but...what is it about Pagan’s fortress?”

“Lakshmana‘s ashes are scattered there. Mom’s ashes are scattered there. I’m scared they...would have…” Sabal clapped him on the shoulder, eyes soft.

“If Lakshmana has been so much as scratched, I promise you we will kill every last soldier in that fortress.”

“We’re going to do that anyway. If Lakshmana’s gone...some of those soldiers are going to suffer before they die.” Sabal nodded, smiling.

“And I will let you. Now go on. The sooner we take back these bell towers, the sooner we can work our way to Pagan’s fortress and save Lakshmana.” Ajay nodded, turning to leave, but then he turned back, smiling.

“You really were right, you know. Nobody’s calling it Amita’s fortress, because her and Pagan are one and the same.” Sabal smiled sadly, and Ajay left for the nearest bell tower.


	5. The First Fortress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short, mostly just an interlude for what's coming next.

They kept in radio contact, and Ajay liberated a good portion of the bell towers in a few days. Rabi Ray cursed him again, and Ajay fought down the urge to pay him a visit and ask he stop. Sabal radioed him saying Ajeet had been found out, but that they’d managed to liberate a couple of outposts. A few more Golden Path soldiers sided with Sabal again when they saw he was alive. Slowly, from the ground up, the Golden Path grew again. To distinguish the blue and yellow of Amita’s soldiers from those siding with Sabal, they each wore a simple pin. Silver, inconspicuous. That way, those who were with Sabal could still move freely with Amita’s people. 

Ajeet and Ajay were kept away from eachother, of course, but that was only a bandaid solution. They met in passing by a belltower, and Ajeet glared at him sharply. Should he say anything?

“I’ll never forgive you,” Ajeet snapped, “No matter what Sabal says. You ruined this country, and I will see you suffer for it.”

“Sabal’s already taken care of that. He beat the living shit out of me when I told him Bhadra had been killed. I had cracked ribs and bruises for days. If you want to kick my ass too, you’re more than welcome to try, but I’ll be fighting back this time.” Ajeet snarled, charging for Ajay, but Ajay dodged, throwing a punch and connecting with his face. Ajeet sprawled to the ground, then got up and went charging for Ajay again. They fought, until both of them were panting heavily and Ajay had a split lip. Ajeet was clearly the more injured of the two, and he finally turned with a huff and walked off.

Ajay shook himself, heading to the next belltower. He was sore, but not terribly injured. 

After the belltowers, Ajay led an attack reclaiming the fortresses. The members of the rebellion all grouped together for a mass strike, attacking Noore’s old fortress first. It went well, in that they succeeded in taking the fortress. There were many casualties, and Sabal had a cut on his cheek, as well as a few bullet wounds that needed to be treated. None of that mattered though, now that they had the fortress. Sabal pulled out his radio.

“Ajay, the fortress is secure, we’re one step closer to taking Pagan’s fortress thanks to you, brother!”

Silence.

“Ajay?”

Still nothing.

“Ajay Ghale, respond! Status, Ajay! AJAY!”

***

“Look who it is. The defector, Ajay Ghale. Pity I can’t kill you yet. You have intel on the rebellion, and I’m going to get it from you.”


	6. Interrogation

Ajay sighed. He’d just finished killing off more guards when he’d been struck in the back of the head. He hadn’t known there was somebody behind him until it was too late. Now he was locked up somewhere with a man he had seen once or twice before standing over him.

“So, Ajay,” he said, squatting down, “How much do you think I need to intimidate you before the fear sets in? I’m wagering quite a bit, but perhaps not. Very few people have nerves of steel in the face of torture implements.” Ajay stared at him, and the man sighed.

“You don’t know me? That’s okay, we never officially met. You saw me when you brought Paul to the Golden Path, remember? The old days, when you were on our side?”

“You mean when Amita wasn’t killing little girls and using drugs to force kids off to war?” 

“That’s a difference of opinion. If Amita was doing those things, then who paved the way for her to do so?” He pulled out a taser.

“Speaking of Paul, this was his favourite torture implement, wasn’t it? I think I’ll stick with this one, for old times’ sake.” He pressed the taser into Ajay’s stomach, and he screamed. It felt like fire, burning him from the inside out.

“Scream all you like, Ajay. Nobody’s coming for you...and it gets me off, just a little bit. He jammed the taser into Ajay’s body again, delighting in the screams.

“Nobody will come to save you, Ajay…” He pressed the taser into Ajay’s body again, but he was already getting bored of it. He put it on the ground, ripping off Ajay’s shirt.

“Look at those burns...you’ll have a whole array of injuries by the time I’m finished with you.” He came back with a whip, cracking it in the air and causing Ajay to flinch.

“Tell me what you know about the Golden Path. Do you still call yourselves that?” Ajay shook his head. He wasn’t going to beg. 

“No, you don't call yourselves that? Or no, you aren’t ready to talk yet?” Ajay glared at him, and the man smirked.

“Fine, it’s no difference to me.” He lashed out, striking Ajay in the chest, and Ajay arched in the chair. Another lash to the back, another to the stomach, and then another one to his ribs. The man sighed.

“You’re a lot more resilient than any of the royal army I interrogated. I think the problem is you have your wits about you. Let’s change that, shall we?” The man stepped forward, wrapping his hands around Ajay’s throat and squeezing. Ajay was in panic mode right away, struggling to break free and shaking his head to try and loosen the man’s hold. It was all to no avail, and Ajay’s struggles began to weaken as the lack of oxygen took its toll. The man grinned as Ajay’s eyes fluttered closed, and then slowly, very slowly, his head fell limp in the man’s grasp. Only then did his interrogator release his hold, letting Ajay slump in his seat. He’d strangled many of his victims to get intel out of them, and he’d done it enough times to know he hadn’t killed Ajay, only knocked him out for a few seconds. Already Ajay was starting to stir, head swaying slowly as he worked up the strength to lift it. He had to act now.

“Where is the Golden Path hiding?”

“...Not hiding…” The man smiled as he lifted Ajay’s chin. People who were just regaining consciousness had fuzzy minds. Fuzzy enough that they gave away information without realizing it. It was all about asking the right questions.

“And who’s in charge? You?”

“...Sabal…” The man snorted.

“You had one task, but I knew you couldn’t complete it. Went soft when it came to killing Sabal, did you? Pathetic.” Ajay finally opened his eyes, and the man smiled.

“Ah, are you awake? Ready to tell me what you know?” 

“I won’t…I won’t tell you anything.” The man chuckled.

“You already have, dear Ajay. You already have.” Explosions from close by distracted the man, and he turned, drawing his gun.

“Find Ajay! Find him!” Sabal?

“Sabal-” The man struck him with his gun before he could get farther, and Ajay fell limp a second time. It was useless, whether Ajay was conscious to call out made no difference. Soon the compound had been cleared out. Every single person who was there was dead, the intel Ajay gave away would never make its way back to whoever was running Amita’s drug kingdom. Sabal was the one to find Ajay, hastening to untie him.

“Brother, brother! Speak to me, Ajay.” Ajay slumped to the ground, and Sabal held him up, assessing his wounds.

“Ajay! Wake up, please.” Ajay groaned, slowly coming back to himself, trying to fight off the heaviness.

“S...Sabal…” 

“Ajay, thank Kyra,” Sabal sighed, “We’re getting you out of here, come on. Back to the fortress.” Ajay mumbled a reply, still too weak to do much more than lie limp in Sabal’s arms. Now that the enemy was dead, now that he didn't have to be strong, his need to stay awake was fast fading.


	7. Mystique

They took him back to the outpost Ajay had helped liberate, laying him on the bed and letting him rest. 

“He suffered a terrible ordeal,” Sabal murmured to one soldier, “Let’s leave him be, for now.”

Ajay woke alone, but the blankets and the familiar surroundings of Varshakot told him he was safe. Besides, he vaguely remembered Sabal coming to rescue him. There was some bread sitting on a table nearby, along with some water, and Ajay forced himself up to eat it. He was still working his way through the bread when a Golden Path soldier came in.

“Ajay, good, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Okay. What happened? Did Sabal save me?”

“Yes, indeed. They took you to Paul'a fortress to interrogate you, so we stormed the place and took it for ourselves...and saved you.”

“So Paul’s fortress is ours now?”

“Yep, just Yuma’s fortress to go, and then the palace. But we’re not worrying about that right now, not until you’re healed.”

“Okay. Is Sabal here?”

“Yes, I can send him in, if you want. I'm going to let him know you’re awake anyways.”

“Sure, yeah.” 

“Got it. I’ll be right back.”

Sabal came in sporting a recently bandaged and still healing cut on his cheek, and Ajay grimaced.

“Oh, it’s not that bad, Ajay. Just another scar to add to my mystique.” Ajay arched an eyebrow.

“You have mystique?”

“What, you thought the ladies and a good portion of the men signed up to help the cause? Oh no, I have it on good authority that they signed up to meet me.” Ajay scoffed and rolled his eyes, and Sabal sat next to Ajay.

“And what about your own soon-to-be-mystique? Are they healing well?”

“Yeah. They’re bandaged now, but they hurt a little…”

“How much is a little? Do you need some morphine?”

“No, I should be good, I just…”

“...You’re worried they’re going to scar.”

“...”

“Relax, Ajay. It'll take some time to get used to, but you will get used to it. Besides, there’s no shame in hating your scars, initially at least. I can help you come to terms with it...if it comes to that. Remember, your wounds might not scar at all.” 

“Yeah.”

“Now, you rest here, heal...and when you’re recovered, Yuma’s fortress will be ours.”

Ajay had fully recovered after about a week, but he stayed in bed an extra week to give his wounds time to properly close. He didn’t want to accidentally open them and risk scarring. When he had decided he couldn’t fake weakness any longer, he stocked up on ammo and guns and told Sabal he was ready to take the outpost.

“You know this outpost better than anyone. How are we doing this, brother?”

“With surprisingly little trouble,” Ajay responded easily, “The outpost, last I saw it, was in disrepair. It’s more difficult to hide because there aren’t any walls, but I didn’t have much trouble taking out the alarms. As long as we have a couple good snipers, this outpost won’t give us much trouble.”

“Unfortunately, snipers are in short supply,” Sabal replied, “Our numbers aren’t what they used to be.”

“Then one good sniper is all we need, and that’s me. “Move in when I give the signal.”

“Your plans are surprisingly simple, Ajay. That’s a good quality.”

“Yuma’s outpost looked the cheapest out of all of them. I think she fell out of favour with Pagan long before he served her up to me.” 

“Interesting speculation, but hardly useful. We can wonder about who fell out of favour when after we dethrone Amita.”

“...Not Amita,” Ajay replied, “One of her...second in commands or something. I killed Amita myself the second she told me she…” Sabal nodded his understanding.

“...How sure are you that she died?”

“Very sure.” He’d shot her a few extra times for good measure.

“Then we’re probably dealing with Bishal. Her second in command. A brilliant strategist, and between you and me I think he was just as lacking in morals or empathy as Amita. He’ll be the one at Pagan’s palace.” Ajay shuddered. Lakshmana...please god, let nothing have happened to her, or mom. Ajay took a breath to steady himself.

“First thing’s first, Yuma’s fortress, and then we can worry about the palace.”


	8. The Fortress

“...This...this is it?”

“I did mention thinking Yuma fell out of favour a long time ago.”

“It’s...a group of shacks. Hell, Banapur would make a better outpost than this.” Sabal started in shock at the ‘fortress’ in front of him. Ajay himself remembered being more than a little disappointed that the Demon of Durgesh had a collection of shacks as her stronghold. 

“There’s a hill over there I can use to snipe the guards from. When I give the signal, head in and take out the rest.”

“Okay. Good luck, brother.” Ajay nodded, climbing the hill while Sabal and the others spread out to hide until Ajay gave the signal. 

Once on top of the hill, Ajay had an excellent view of the fortress. He put the sniper scope to his eye and peered through it, intending to track the movements of anyone inside. A solid minute of switching between the sniper and squinting at the outpost convinced him that things were not going according to plan, and he switched the sniper for his AK-47, taking out his radio.

“Sabal, I’m going in. Stay there unless I call for backup.”

“What, ALONE? Why?”

“...There’s nobody there. I’m going in to check it out. I’d be better prepared to handle a trap, and if it is a trap the last thing we want is to have everyone be sitting ducks in there. Keep an eye out for anyone in the vicinity.”

“...I don’t like this, brother.”

“Neither do I, believe me.” Ajay kept his gun at the ready, creeping into the outpost and checking every corner. His finger twitched on the trigger, ready to shoot at the slightest sign of trouble. He checked every building, looked in every corner, every nook and cranny, but there was nothing. Not a single person in sight. Only when he’d satisfied his gut instinct that this was a trap did he sigh and take out his radio.

“There’s nobody here, Sabal.”

“Have you checked?”

“What the hell do you think I’ve been doing for the past twenty minutes? If you think you can do better than me, then by all means, come on in.” He’d  
meant it sarcastically, but the entire Golden Path did come in, checking and double-checking every building like he had. Ajay was mildly annoyed that they doubted his enemy-scoping skills after everything he’d done, but then again, perhaps they were as skittish about this as he was.

“There’s nobody here.”

“I said that twenty minutes ago,” Ajay grumbled a little irritably.

“Why would the outpost be abandoned?”

“This guy, Amita’s second, he’s a strategist, right? Would Amita have seen any value in a piece of shit outpost like this?”

“...None at all. That’s a good point, brother. Amita would have found no value in this outpost, she’d have never used it. Perhaps Bishal had the same thought process.”

“So it’s been abandoned. Can we set up camp here? Amita’s people will never think to look here, right?”

“Oh no, they’d definitely think to look here. Let’s set up shop here, but carry on to the palace. We need to plan our attack, we can’t afford to lose now.”

“Last time we just stormed the place, right?”

“Yes, but I want to be more careful than that. Last time we had the numbers, and we’d taken Kyrat back piece by piece. Besides, that was Amita’s tactic, and she’ll be expecting it. Let’s take the back entrances, strike where they’ll least expect it.”

“Do you...nevermind.”

“Ajay?”

“No, it’s nothing.” Sabal nodded.

“I promise you, the second the battle is won we’ll look for Lakshmana.” Ajay nodded. He couldn’t worry about them now, he had to focus on the battle.


	9. Lakshmana

Luckily for them, many of the main entrances were still torn to shit from their first assault, but they were too heavily guarded. There wasn’t much room for a back assault, but Ajay showed Sabal and a small group of men to a strip of land that rose to near the top of the palace. From their place overlooking the palace, they could pick off a lot of men, but they’d be noticed right away. It seemed a frontal assault was their only option.

“How are we going to do this?” Ajay thought, then sighed.

“Let me go in alone.”

“For Kyra’s sake, Ajay…!”

“I know, but listen. I’m good at this. I’ve taken out entire fortresses on my own, remember. It’ll be slow work, but I’ll get it done. I’ll start sniping from the top, and when I’m detected I’ll go in for a frontal assault. Give me half an hour from when I go in, and follow after me. That’ll give them enough time to think I’m just a one-man army and let their guards down, and I’ll have cleared some of the way to the palace by then.”

“But Ajay, you against all those men?”

“I can take them. I won’t let myself be killed. All you need to do is hide. ...If I’m getting stuck, I’ll call for help.”

“You damn well better.” Sabal did NOT like Ajay’s way of doing things. If he’d focused less on the results and more on how Ajay was getting those results...he might have had somebody following Ajay around all the time, not just watching over his home. Ajay needed somebody whose only purpose was to radio Sabal if he ever tried to do anything stupid. Ajay waited while Sabal’s men hid, then climbed back up to the hill and pulled out his sniper. He targeted a few in the back and got off a few shots before anyone figured out what was going on. Ajay kept his head down while they searched for him, only raising his rifle when he heard the telltale signs of them giving up the search (which, oddly enough, was always somebody saying ‘he’s around here somewhere!’) He got off a few more shots, but then he was spotted. He pulled out his AK-47 and started firing.

“I’ve been spotted,” he said into his radio when he had a chance, “Thirty minute countdown starts now.” He used grenades, and bait, and countless rounds of bullets from his gun. It was slow progress - he backtracked to patch himself up often - but slowly he pushed his way through. He knew the good hiding spots in the fortress, where he could reload or bandage himself in relative safety, and he used those every chance he got. Things were going according to plan. In fact, by the time his thirty minutes were up, Ajay had practically cleaned out the whole place, enough that the Golden Path could easily handle the rest. 

With everything taken care of, his chest burned with the need to find Lakshmana and make sure she was still safe. Sabal could take it from here. Ajay had done the legwork, all he needed to do was clean up the dust. Ajay nodded, setting off towards the place where he knew Lakshmana would be, pushing himself faster when the solitary building loomed in the distance. He was close now, so close, he would finally find out-

“Ajay!! It was a trap, we’re surrounded on all sides!” Ajay froze in his tracks, jaw clenching as he debated. He was so close, Lakshmana was right there, Sabal could hold out a few more minutes while he checked…! Even as he thought it, he knew he couldn’t abandon Sabal. Screaming his frustration, Ajay turned around and headed back towards the palace, finding that the Golden Path were surrounded and barely keeping their ground. Ajay made quick work of them, as he had the element of surprise on his side. That and a shit ton of anger and frustration and worry he needed to vent. Amita’s people dropped like stones.

“Ajay! Thank you, brother, you-” Ajay wasn’t sticking around for the praise, he had to get to Lakshmana NOW. Sabal ran to keep up with him, not saying anything. He could only imagine what Ajay must be feeling. He went through hell to obey his mother’s final wish, and then had to live with months of knowing his mother’s resting place was being occupied by a group of people who hated his guts and would destroy it in a heartbeat. The worry was visible in Ajay’s form, the way he ignored Sabal and walked straight towards the one building in the back…

Ajay seemed to know where he was going, and he opened a series of doors with confidence. As he stepped into a room, however, a gunshot rang out, and Sabal just had time to duck back behind the table before he too fell victim to Bishal. They hadn’t found him in their raid, and Sabal had been stupid to forget that. Ajay was beside himself with worry for Lakshmana, there was no way he would remember to check his surroundings as he entered a room. That responsibility should have been on Sabal, but he had failed. All he could do now was clean up the mess.

“Do you think I’m stupid, Sabal? I knew you’d come for me eventually. I’ve been waiting for this since Ajay killed Amita...god rest his soul,” he added with a sneer, and Sabal outright screamed as he stood and shot Bishal right between the eyes.

“Ajay Ghale is down, I need backup here!” He called into his radio, because Ajay simply couldn’t be dead, he was Ajay Ghale. He was fatally injured, perhaps, but if they got him to a doctor fast enough he’d be just fine, because he was Ajay Ghale, and Ajay Ghale routinely rushed alone into impossible situations and made it out alive. This time was no different. He put pressure on the wound, a shoulder would even if it was too close to Ajay’s heart for comfort, and checked his pulse. It was present, but too fast and erratic, but that was alright. Ajay had survived worse than this, surely.

His men rushed in, a doctor a part of the group, and he took one look at Ajay and cursed.

“We have to operate now. Somebody get some morphine in him, and hope it starts working before I get my tools out.” One soldier took out the morphine, removed Ajay’s jacket and shirt, and injected him with it, but the doctor was already ready to operate.

“Hold him down, I have to start now.” The four other soldiers each pressed down on Ajay’s body, their grip tightening when the first instrument dug into the bullet hole and Ajay screamed. Sabal watched the scene unfold with horror, but then he realized he couldn’t just stand here. There was something he had to do. 

He didn’t bother telling anyone he was leaving, he wouldn’t distract them from Ajay. Turning, he snuck out the only other door in the room, the one Ajay had been heading towards when he’d been shot. It lead outside, to a grassy plain, and as Sabal started to walk forward he saw a little shack, very different from the extravagance of Pagan’s palace. He opened up the little door, and was met with Lakshmana herself, a portrait of a child much too young to be the subject of a shrine. Sabal grimaced, but there was no mistaking the words “In loving memory of Lakshmana Min”. Just beside a little urn with Pagan’s signature peacock on it lay another, more familiar urn, with the Golden Path’s symbol carved into it. Ishwari Ghale, Ajay’s mother. 

So Ishwari Ghale had asked to be put to rest next to Lakshmana Min, clearly Pagan’s daughter. It wasn’t a very grand leap of logic to assume that for that to be the case, Lakshmana had to have been Ishwari’s daughter as well. Sabal sighed, trying to piece the timeline together. Ishwari Ghale fled to the states with Ajay, and when he returned he had no idea that Lakshmana was a living person. Ishwari must have left as a direct result of grief of losing her daughter. But how had she died? And why had the tragedy prompted Ishwari to leave the country altogether instead of staying and grieving alongside Pagan? Sabal shook his head. There must be some part of the puzzle he was missing. He would ask Ajay about it later...if Ajay survived to tell him. No, he couldn’t think like that. Ajay would survive, and when he woke he would get up immediately and run off to see about Lakshmana...unless Sabal could prove to him that Lakshmana was safe and sound, and it would take more than just words to do that. Sabal took a picture of the shrine, then pocketed his phone and went back to see how the surgery was progressing.


	10. Condolences

It was already done. Ajay had been stitched up in record time, the morphine seemed to have kicked in, and Ajay was resting, although not entirely peacefully.

“...How is he?” Sabal dared to ask.

“He should recover. He’s very lucky, I almost had a heart attack myself when I felt an artery right next to the bullet. There’s no internal bleeding, I’m just waiting a few moments before we get him on a stretcher and get him to a clinic. I don’t want to jostle him too much, and these four are a little shaken, so I’m waiting for them to calm down.” The doctor was right; Sabal could see all four of them physically trembling. He nodded to himself. Ajay was in good hands.

“Alright. I need to go check on the battle. Let me know the second anything changes.”

“You got it.”

The battle had been won, not a single one of Amita’s soldiers was left. Sabal briefly thought back to a time - it seemed like ages ago - when he’d yelled to Ajay that every single soldier would have to be killed in order for him to take power. Looking around at all the plain silver pins that they wore even if there was no point trying to hide from Amita’s people, Sabal was glad that hadn’t been the case. All that was left now was for Ajay to make a recovery. 

And the celebration, apparently.

The moment somebody spotted him, cheers erupted all around, and he was lifted up on the shoulders of several path members as they celebrated the victory. It seemed a little inappropriate, given Ajay’s condition...but he would let them have this moment. They congratulated him, wished him well as the new king, and thanked him profusely for not giving up the fight. Sabal decided not to mention that he HAD given up, it was Ajay returning to him that had sparked him to keep fighting. Well, that and the news of Bhadra’s death. Sabal sighed. He would have to set up a shrine for her as well. But later. For now, the people had freed themselves from a second Pagan, and they had already decided that now was a time of celebration.

Ajay spent much too long for Sabal’s liking unconscious in bed, enough that Sabal was almost relieved when he got an urgent call saying that Ajay had had to be sedated since he was trying to get up, asking about whatever the hell Lakshmana was. 

Sabal was there when Ajay woke next, his phone at the ready.

“Sabal...Sabal, I need to-”

“No need, brother, just rest.” He held up his phone, and Ajay squinted at it, staring at the photo and mentally comparing it with the last time he had been there.

“...She’s...okay?”

“They both are. ...Do you mind me asking who she is?” Ajay grimaced.

“Not right now. Later, okay? I will tell you, just...later. I can’t think about it right now.” Sabal nodded his understanding, and Ajay looked around.

“Where are we? What happened?”

“What happened is you ran into a room without checking, idiot,” Sabal said gently, “Bishal was there, and he shot you. I shot him back. You were severely wounded, the doctor had to operate on you then and there. I couldn’t be of any help, so I went to check on Lakshmana for you, and then I went and helped with the cleanup.”

“Oh. How are things now?”

“Better. There’s still a lot of cleanup to do, but as of yesterday I am officially the new King of Kyrat. I would have much preferred to be a regent, but without a Tarun Matara that’s not possible. No matter. Kyrat is healing, and that’s all I ever wanted.” Ajay nodded.

“And how long before I get to get out of bed and check on Lakshmana myself?”

“A few weeks, easily. You’ll just have to satisfy yourself with looking at my phone until then. We’re done. The fighting is over, and it’s all thanks to you. I know I say this a lot...but Mohan would be proud.”

“Mohan can suck my dick,” Ajay snapped, and Sabal looked like he’d been slapped. Ajay looked a little embarrassed at his outburst, but not for what he’d said.

“...Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

“Did...I...miss something?”

“Uh...yeah...Mohan kind of...well, he was the one who…” He nodded curtly at the phone in Sabal’s hand, and Sabal’s brain went blank. Was Ajay implying that Mohan had killed Lakshmana? No, surely not, Mohan would never have killed a child, not even Pagan Min’s daughter. Not if he’d known it was Ishwari’s child as well. He...there was no way. It simply wasn’t possible.

“...Why? Why would Mohan do such a thing? Murder a child?”

“He went nuts, at the end. He wasn’t happy mom had slept with Pagan Min.” Oh. Well...of course not, no man is ever happy to find out his wife has been unfaithful, but...but...Mohan! Sabal sighed, putting his head in his hands.

“I...All these years idolizing Mohan…”

“Yeah. To be fair...Mohan at the beginning seemed like he was a great guy. It’s just...after. He and mom started arguing, and that was that. He went nuts. Anyway...no more son of Mohan stuff, okay?” Sabal nodded his understanding. Sabal himself didn’t want anything to do with Mohan in light of this, he could only imagine what it must be like being related to the man. 

“...I promise, you won’t have to worry about Lakshmana anymore. She’ll be kept safe, I promise.” 

“...Thanks.”

“And...my condolences.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”


End file.
